Typically the asthma that occurs in adulthood is called adult onset asthma. The onset of this asthma occurs for the first time in middle age or the old age i.e. typically after the age of 20 years. Mostly women are affected by this type of asthma. However the symptoms of asthma may appear or diagnosed anytime in lifetime even in childhood, those symptoms that are reported in adults is referred to as adult onset asthma. There are equally possible changes of developing adult onset asthma at the age of 50, 60 or even later.

Adult Onset asthma although has same factors for its occurrence as any other asthma but generally it is caused due to the repeated or long term contact with common place substances at home or at work. Basically the symptoms are varying degrees of breathlessness, wheezing and productive coughing. Adult onset asthma may or may not be caused by allergies and vice versa. Almost half of the asthmatics are also allergic.

Besides many factors responsible for causing adult onset asthma here are some of the major factors. Increasing obesity in adults increases the chances of asthma. No less than 30% of people are affected by allergies that trigger asthma. Hormonal changes in women also play a vital role for developing asthma and a large number of women are affected by it.